AFTER an interrupted basketball season it's hoped that 2022 will bring better times for both junior and senior competitors in Bathurst and the Central West.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Bathurst weren't able to add to their winning start in the recent Western Region Women's Basketball due to COVID-19 lockdown laws, but coach Hannah Lepaio hopes the competition will kickstart a promising resurgence for the sport.
"Across the board everyone was disappointed but everyone knew there wasn't anything we could do about it. I'm not sure if we were happy that it came one game in not with three games done and one more to play," she said.
"Originally they suggested, when we first went into lockdown, trying to get it started back up in October but that's not looking like it will happen.
"They'll probably try and expand the competition to make it not just for senior women but for the men as well, and then to try and get it going for junior teams as well so it acts like a pre-season warm-up before Western Junior League kicks off.
"It would be great especially for the centres who have multiple teams in an age group, and it would give them a chance to get some more competitive basketball."
Bathurst won their opening game of the senior women's competition against the Lithgow Lazers before the lockdown came into effect the following week before they were due to take on the Orange Eagles.
Lepaio said it will be important to explore all avenues to keep participation numbers up when lockdowns eventually come to a close and allow sport to resume.
"Basketball has struggled to get junior interest in the sport so I know they're pushing 3x3 basketball at the moment, and we're definitely open to that idea," she said.
"We're hoping to get some summer competitions going there and hopeful that will get people talking and trying out there game and we can go from there."
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content:
- Bookmark www.westernadvocate.com.au
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Google News